The present invention relates generally to printing presses and more particularly to slowdown devices and diverters used for transporting and decelerating signatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,213, hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a method for cutting a web and diverting signatures which includes the steps of partially cutting the web so as to form a partially cut web section; cutting the partially cut web section with a cutting device so as to form signatures; passing a first belt through at least a part of the cutting device; and holding the signatures between the first belt and a second belt so that the signatures are offset in an alternating fashion to define a first stream and a second stream of the signatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,097 discloses a sheet diverter that receives a fast moving stream of regularly spaced apart signatures from a sheet processing system. The sheet diverter sends the signatures down one of a plurality of collation paths. A signature slow down mechanism is positioned within the collation path, such that as a signature travels down the collation path, the signature slow down mechanism grabs a tail end of the signature to slow down the speed of the signature. A pair of rotating cam lobes lying in general face-to-face relation along the collation path effectively reach into the collation path at the appropriate moment to grab the trailing end of the signature therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,098 discloses a diverter assembly for diverting signatures from a diverter path to a desired one of a plurality of collation paths. A pair of spaced apart, rotating diverter rolls have respective travel paths which define a common swipe path for the diverter rolls. A diverter wedge which separates the plurality of collation paths is positioned between the pair of diverter rolls such that a portion of the diverter rolls allows for increased control over signatures traveling through a folder as compared to prior known apparatus and methods thereby allowing for greater operational speeds, decreasing signature damage, less ink offset to the diverter wedge and reducing jamming tendencies in a folder.